My Father (2007) - 마이 파더 (Ma-i Pa-deo)

The Chaser Top Winner at Grand Bell Awards

2008/07/01 | Source | Permalink |

Hit thriller, "The Chaser", the top Korean film at the box office for the first half of 2008, was also tops last Friday at the nation's annual film awards fest, the 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) film festival, held in southern Seoul. Director NA Hong-jin's debut feature picked up six awards including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography and Actor for KIM Yoon-seok).

Actor KIM, known for numerous supporting roles, won for his first lead performance as the cop-turned-pimp who is hot on the trail of a serial-killer played by the equally gifted HA Jeong-woo. KIM also won the BMW Popularity award at Daejon. "The Chaser" went on to captured the Best Production award as well.

The Best Actress award went to KIM Yoon-jin for her role in another successful thriller, "Seven Days", a tale of kidnapping and blackmail. KIM is known to American audiences for her role in the hit TV sevies "Lost", for which she has also won acting awards. The fast-paced plot-twister also won awards for Best...| More

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Daejong Film Fest Showcases Trends

2008/06/29 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

South Korea's esteemed 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival held in southern Seoul, showcased the latest local box office trends, with its stronghold of original thrillers, stylistic period pieces and experimental projects. While superstars grabbed the limelight as expected, hitherto overlooked veteran actors and young debutant directors shined the most, suggesting that blatant star power, be it a reputed director or ravishing screen beauty, don't always guarantee ticket sales or awards.

The red carpet event took place outside the COEX Convention Hall in a sea of blinding camera flashes as glamorous cineastes filed in. Screen beauties like Han Chae-young, Park Jin-hee and Sin-Ae were elegant in cleavage-bearing, long evening gowns while others such as Kim Yoon-jin and Ko Ah-ra chose mini-dresses to show off their figures.

Actress Kim Ah-joong, who won last year's award for Best Actress ("200 Pounds Beauty"), and popular announcer Choe Gi-hwan...| More

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2008 Sees Korean Stars Swarm Hollywood

2008/06/28 | Source | Permalink |

by Nigel D'Sa

While Hollywood seems to be gaining ground at the Korean box office in 2008, a growing number of Korean stars are invading Hollywood's home turf this year, bringing Korean talent into view on the world stage. Local celebrities such as Jeon Ji-hyeon, Lee Byeon-heon, Jung Ji-hoon ("Rain"), Jang Don-gun, and Korean-American Daniel Henney are currently filming or have already wrapped roles in major US studio productions.

Actress Jeon, going by her English name Gianna Jun, recently completed the shooting of her lead role in "Blood: The Last Vampire", a US – Hong Kong co-production set in the Tokyo of 1970. Jeon plays Saya, a vampire working for a covert US government agency that hunts and destroys demons. She is assigned to a military school where she must find out which of her fellow classmates is a demon in disguise.

The English-language horror-thriller will be model-turned-actress Jeon's Hollywood debut. Rising to celebrity status with her 2001 Korean feature ...| More

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[ChanMi's star news] Daniel Henney, he's back!

2008/06/25 | Source | Permalink |

Daniel Henney has been back in Korea for a time now. Why didn't we know about this?

He was seeking rest after shooting the Hollywood movie, 'X-men Original - Wolverine' in New Zealand. The movie is to be released in May 2009.

...| More

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"Fate", When Pretty Boys Go Bad

2008/03/20 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

In the star-studded gangster film "Fate", friends become foes and "pretty" actors get rough. Actor-turned-director Kim Hae-gon casts hallyu TV stars Kwon Sang-woo ("Stairway to Heaven") and Song Seung-heon ("Autumn in my Heart") and other familiar faces to play unfamiliar roles.

"Fate" is a quintessential commercial flick that feeds on star power, provocative action and melodrama. While weak storytelling and exhausting running time wane the fun, the actors' engaging performances fill in the missing links.

In the dark criminal world of Seoul, U-min (Song), Cheol-jung (Kwon), Do-wan (Kim In-kwon) and Yeong-hwan (Ji Seong) are close friends in a gang. One day, with the help of an older member Gang-seop (Ahn Nae-seong), U-min, Cheol-jung and Do-wan attack the gang's casino so they can start new lives. But their plan goes awry when Cheol-jung betrays them, and U-min goes to prison. He becomes the scapegoat to save his friends' lives.

After serving...| More

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